Shield Charms and Nargles
by LollyAspen
Summary: Set during 5th year.  Neville needs extra help practicing Shield Charms for D.A.  Harry has detention, so who does he ask to fill in?  None other than Luna Lovegood. Neville/Luna pairing


**A/N **My first Harry Potter fanfic, hope you enjoy.

"Hi Neville." Luna Love good was smiling pleasantly, radishes dangling from her ears and her butterbeer cork necklace around her neck.

"Hi Luna." Neville tried smiling but his nervousness outmatched it.

"There no need to worry Neville," Luna said dreamily, "You'll be fine. I'll just be disarming you. No stunning." Neville's nerves subsided a little, but it wasn't just the thought of spells being shot at him.

The Room of Requirement was set up like it normally was for D.A. meetings. The cushions they used for stunning were stacked in the corner, and the volumes of books Hermione would read before meetings started sat near a large mirror. Christmas decorations still hung, even though it was January.

Luna removed her wand from the pocket in her robes and gave a cry of "_Protego!" _Luna turned towards Neville. "You try Neville. Just concentrate. You know the theory." Neville screwed up his face in concentrations and uttered, "_Protego!"_

"That's it Neville. Keep concentrating." Luna's Shield Charm died and she pointed her wand at Neville. "_Expelliarmus!" _But Neville's fear got the better of him and his Shield Charm lost strength. His wand blasted out of his hand and Luna caught it.

"Try again Neville. Don't let me intimidate you." Neville let out a small laugh. Intimidate him? She did more than that. "Ready? One, two, three." Cries of "_Protego_!" and _"Expelliarmus!"_echoed in the Room of Requirement. Neville's Shield Charm held for a few moments but died as Luna's spell blasted his wand out of his hand once again. Neville felt his failure weigh on his back. But he was determined to keep trying.

"Try again." Neville said, detemination in his voice. Luna was silent. "Um, Luna," Neville said softly. But she was thinking.

"Yes, yes it might help." Luna said brightly. "Neville, I think why you're not getting this is because there must be a Wrackspurt in here! Of course, why didn't I realize it before?" Luna began to rummage through her robes. "Where are they, Daddy just sent them to me…" Luna pulled out a Gurdyroot and thrust it into Neville's hand. "Hold this just a second Neville, thank you." Neville stared at the green onion curiously. "What's this do again?"

"Wards off Gulping Plimpies. Wait, here they are!" Luna pulled out a pair of bizarre colored glasses. "The Spectrespecs will help us see the Wrackspurt," she said. Neville had long ago learned that sometimes Luna's strange beliefs were not things to argue against. Luna began waving her arms and swatting like there was a swarm of flies after her.

"There I think that might help. Wrackspurt will fill your brains with buzzing and make things go fuzzy. That was probably why you were having trouble concentrating. I think it's gone now though so you can think clearly."

"Okay, whatever you say Luna. Oh here's your Gurdyroot." Luna stuffed it back into her robes and raised her wand. "Ready?"

"Ready," Neville confirmed.

_"Expelliarmus!"_ cried Luna.

_"Protego!"_ Neville yelled back. Neville concentration was soaring, he was determined to get this right, to show Luna that he could be just as good at magic as any other student, even as good as Harry Potter. Luna's Disarming spell bounced right off the powerful shield Neville had created.

"Well done Neville!" she cried. Neville grinned. Luna's praise meant more to him than anything. "Now let's see_. "Stupefy!"_ Luna shot a Stunning Spell, but Neville's Shield reflected it.

"I thought you said you were just going to disarm." Neville asked questioningly.

"I was, but it's good to do a test. I think you've got it Neville!" Her smile was bright and she walked forward. She probed Neville's shield with her wand. "Yes, definitely well cast. Try one more time?" Neville nodded vigorously.

_"Stupefy!"_ But Neville's Shield Charm beat Luna's stunning spell and it bounced off. "Fantastic Neville!" Neville felt his face redden but tried hard not to show exactly how much Luna's praise meant to him.

Luna was looking dreamily up at the ceiling. "Oh Harry left the mistletoe up too." She looked at Neville. "It's infested with Nargles. Did you know that?"

"No, I can't say I have. What are Nargles anyway?"

"Oh they are very mischievous thieves. That's why I wear this necklace, helps keep them away."

"Oh, I didn't realize that."

"Yes, come here and look you might be able to see them." Neville stood next to Luna and looked up. He saw nothing, but Luna was pointing like he should. "They're there. Can you see them?"

"Ummm…." Neville didn't want to lie to Luna, but he didn't want to hurt her by not trying to see what she was convinced was there. He tried his best though. "I think so, are they really small?"

"Yes, they like to hide too. Mistletoe is their favorite place to live."

"Nice." Neville realized how close he was to Luna.

"You're a great person Neville. No one has ever believed that Nargles exist. Or Wrackspurt. Or even the Crumple-Horned Snorkack!"

"Well Luna, you someone who is easy to believe," Neville said with a smile.

"Thank you very much." She was positively beaming at him. Neville suddenly felt his brain buzzing, and wondered if Wrackspurt did exist. Her smile was weakening him and his desire to be near her was greater than it had ever been. Without thinking he bent over and kissed her, very softly on her lips. Then the shock wore on him. What had he done? Luna would never return his feelings, not when she was such a beautiful and talented witch. But she was still smiling. "I take it you like me Neville?"

He gulped. "Yeah, yeah I do. A lot." He pushed his hair back and tried to keep from shaking. "It's okay if you don't… Like me back." Then Luna did something Neville  
didn't expect. She took his hand in her own. "Of course I like you Neville. I though you knew." Her dream-like smile didn't fade. Neville felt his own face split into a huge grin. He squeezed her hand softly.

"If you want, I'll show some photographs Daddy sent me of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack horn. It's very valuable." Luna said.

"I'd love to Luna." Neville said, his grin never fading.

"Great, I have it with me, and we can walk around the grounds, if you want?" Neville wanted nothing more. They left the Room of Requirement and strode down the corridor, hand in hand. "Oh and Neville."

"Yes Luna." Luna stood on her tiptoes and kissed Neville again. "Good job on your Shield Charm."


End file.
